title: The p53 target Wig-1: a regulator of mRNA stability and stem cell fate?
abstract: Wig-1 is a transcriptional target of the tumor suppressor p53 and encodes an unusual zinc-finger protein involved in post-transcriptional gene regulation. Wig-1 is expressed in all cell types investigated so far, with the highest levels in the brain, and is enriched in stem cells as compared with more differentiated cells of the same lineage. Wig-1 binds to both long double-stranded (ds) RNA and short microRNA-like dsRNA. We have shown that Wig-1 acts in a positive feedback loop that stabilizes p53 mRNA through an AU-rich element (ARE) in the p53 3'untranslated region. Our preliminary data indicate a more general effect of Wig-1 on ARE-containing mRNA. Here we shall summarize current knowledge about Wig-1 and discuss possible implications on p53 function and other cellular processes.
authors.affiliation: Karolinska Institutet, Department of Oncology-Pathology, Cancer Center Karolinska, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vilborg
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bersani
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Wilhelm
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Wiman
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D002893:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 3 / Q000235:genetics; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D009928:Organ Specificity; D020871:RNA Stability; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000502:physiology*; D016335:Zinc Fingers
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; C436503:ZMAT3 protein, human